Bluffton, Ohio - The Franklin College baseball team rallied from a 15-1 deficit after four innings to tie the game with a ninth-inning rally in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Bluffton University. However, the Beavers hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to pick up a 21-17 victory.

Bluffton won the opener 6-4 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opening weekend.

Franklin began the rally with an eight-run fifth inning to cut the margin to 15-9.

A triple by junior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) started the scoring in the frame. Senior Jameson Brock (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) followed with a single to plate Kammerer. A two-run double by senior Dylan Reyher (Clinton, Ind./South Vermillion) added to the big inning. Junior Chase Steinbrunner (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) had a single to score Reyher for the fifth run of the inning. Senior Mitch Frey (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) capped the scoring with a two-run single.

The visitors plated three more runs in the sixth inning to trim the deficit to 15-12. Back-to-back singles by freshman Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) and Steinbrunner scored a run. A groundout from freshman Adam Daria (Villa Hills, Ky./Dixie Heights) scored Freed.

Franklin continued to chip away with three more runs in the seventh inning. Consecutive doubles from senior Tyler Ison (Whiteland, Ind./Whiteland Community) and Reyher brought the team within 16-14. A single from Freed plated Reyher and brought Franklin within one run, 16-15.

Bluffton scored an insurance run in the eighth inning to take a 17-15 lead.

In the ninth inning, Kammerer was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. Brock followed with a single to put the tying run on base. Ison tied the game at 17-17 with a two-run double. Bluffton threw out the potential game-winning run at the plate later in the frame.

The Beavers got a walk-off grand slam from T.J. Devore to win the game.

In the opener, Bluffton broke a 3-3 tie with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Junior Joe Ardizzone (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to tie the game.

Ison led Franklin's 19-hit attack in the nightcap, going 4-for-6 with four runs batted in and three runs scored. Brock went 3-for-4 with four runs scored. Steinbrunner also recorded three hits. Freshman Bo Stewart (Brazil, Ind./Northview), Frey, and Reyher rounded out the multiple-hit attack each with two hits.

Franklin returns to action when it hosts St. Francis University in non-conference action on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. from John P. McDowell Field. Live statistics of both games of the doubleheader will be available.